FUT Minna backs strike suspension

The congress of the Union at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna was divided Monday with majority of members in support of suspension of the four month old action, while others would want it suspended with some conditions met by government.

The minority demanded that in calling off the action, the leadership of the union should insist that no member is victimised for their role in the strike. They also insisted that government should indicate in the final agreement as agreed with the President that the 2009 was due for negotiation as well as the payment of the balance of their academic earned allowances.

No sooner the chapter chairman, Dr. Fatai Jimoh briefed the congress of the outcome of the meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the union that the house was divided with majority of the members pushing for suspension of the strike.

The few dissenting voice argued that the union should not fall prey to federal government ploy. They cautioned that the union cannot take government for its word, maintaining that if the union had to embark on a strike after series of correspondences and strike in 2011 that led to the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2012 were not honoured.

But majority of the university teachers said that the plight of the students and their parents should be considered.

After exhaustive debate, the congress resolved and directed its chairman to convey to the national executive council meeting holding tomorrow in Kano that the union can consider suspending the action but insisted that the three other conditions be met.

When contacted, the chapter chairman, Dr. Fatai Jimoh initially refused to divulged the outcome of the congress but later confirmed that majority of his congress members pushed for suspension.

“I have the mandate to take the decision of the congress to NEC holding day after tomorrow. But if you insist to know, majority of our members called for the suspension of the strike but with the government fulfilling three conditions.

“Don’t ask me the conditions, because we don’t want it public domain. All I can tell you is that the strike is still on until the NEC of the union decide otherwise,” Jimoh stated.

The chapter chairman also refused to assess the impact of the action. According th him, “As long as NEC has not suspended the action, it will be premature to assess the success or otherwise of the action. When the strike is called off, I’ll give my candid assessment”.

At Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai efforts to get the outcome of the congress failed as the Chairman was out of reach but the congress on Friday during a community walk to sensitised members of the public resolved to abide by the decision of the NEC of the Union.

Speaking after the walk, the chapter chairman, Comrade Yahaya Badeggi said, “the congress at IBBU Lapai, resolved that the strike continues until when the National Executive Council of the union decides otherwise. We know they are still negotiating, we shall abide by the decision of NEC”.

On the gains of the four month old action, Badeggi said, “I make bold to say that the action has produced some positive results. From the N100 billion released our university got N450 million. This would not have been so but for the strike. I believe that at the end of the university system will be better for it”.

The lecturers would have thought about the students and parents before embarking on the strike at all. To me, it is really meaningless if they call off the strike without achieving their aim. I guess most of them don’t have money to spend again ‘cos of the suspension of their salary. I will be discouraged in ASUU if they call off the strike without getting what they r fighting for.